Refrigerator appliances generally include a cabinet that defines one or more chambers for the receipt of food items for storage. Certain refrigerator appliances also include features for dispensing ice and/or liquid water. To provide ice and/or liquid water, a dispenser is typically positioned on a door of the appliance. The user positions a container proximate the dispenser, and ice and/or liquid water are deposited into the container depending upon the user's selection. A paddle or other type switch may be provided whereby the user may make a selection.
Various components with refrigerator appliances can reduce the pressure of water flowing between a wall connection and the dispenser. For example, refrigerator appliances can include water filters, solenoid valves, pressure regulators, etc., and such components can generate a pressure drop that disadvantageously reduces the flow rate of water at the dispenser. Thus, filling a container at the dispenser may take an inconvenient amount of time.
Water filters are frequently the largest flow restrictor within refrigerator appliances and can generate a significant pressure drop. However, the contaminant reduction performance of a water filter is certified at a specific service flow rate, typically a half-gallon per minute for refrigerator water filters. Operation of refrigerator water filters at flowrates above the specific service flow rate is unacceptable as such actions will void contaminant reduction claims. A water filter can be recertified to a new flow rate but the performance of the water filter can be significantly reduced.